Getting the girls out

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The girls went skiing at Breckenridge last Sunday, some clad in festive tutus, before heading to Christy Sports for a Wine & Wax event, where they learned the basics of waxing skis and boards over glasses of wine. The event, called Get the Girls Out, was part of SheJumps, an organization started by professional skier Lynsey Dyer to encourage women to be more active outdoors. Get the Girls Out (GTGO) events take place around the country and involve skiing, biking, hiking and other outdoor activities, in addition to clinics and workshops on rock climbing, tuning, avalanche awareness and other topics. "Everyone got a good wax on all their equipment," said Jesse Ambrogi-Yanson, who coordinates SheJumps activities in Colorado's mountain region. "It was just amazing meeting other women in Summit County, in an all-female environment." Anyone can join SheJumps, and members are encouraged to create their own events. The group uses the social networking site Ning as a platform for membership. "We will be holding ski dates across the state," said Ambrogi-Yanson. "Ning is the best place to learn about what is going on and where." Tonight, the group holds its first Colorado FUNdraiser featuring the all-female ski movie, "As We Are," as well as a silent auction and raffle of donated gear, at Carter Park Pavilion in Breckenridge. There will also be a prize for "the most rad ugly Christmas sweater," Ambrogi-Yanson said.Throughout Colorado, SheJumps has approximately 150 members, and there are upwards of 1,000 members around the country and worldwide, including a group in Europe. Ambrogi-Yanson appreciates the organization for helping her to form "a solid group of lady friends to do outdoor activities with in my area.""Summit is known for its lack of ladies, so this has been awesome," she said. "It has also provided me with a platform to use my skills and expertise to promote something I feel strongly about."At an avalanche awareness event in Vail, participants refreshed their knowledge on beacon skills and safety topics with ski patrol. "A few of the women there said they had never been instructed and relied on their boyfriends' knowledge to go into the backcountry," Ambrogi-Yanson said. "By providing this experience, they felt more knowledgeable and able to speak their mind if, say, they didn't think conditions were a go." The gatherings also serve as a supportive environment in which women can push their boundaries. "Last year at our GTGO day in Breck, we skied some pretty advanced terrain," Ambrogi-Yanson said. "I think a lot of the women were a bit intimidated, but those of us who knew the mountain were confident they could ski down. One woman approached me afterward and let me know she never would have done that on her own, but since she was with such a knowledgeable group of ladies, and felt comfortable in our supportive environment, she was confident enough in her skills to ski where we were."